Cats are eating my plants!

Vicmeister · May 5, 2014

Tomato plants have been disappearing from my garden, and I have identified the nasty culprit.....it's the cats! There is an orange tom cat that jumps my fence and has been helping himself to the plant tops. I don't see that he's using it as a litter box, just as his personal snacking table.

I'm going to try some netting I think and see if that helps....or maybe a motion sprinkler. Not sure yet!

Wi-sunflower · May 5, 2014

Cayenne pepper powder sprinkled on and around the plants.

Carol

Vicmeister · May 5, 2014

I tried that last year, but the Squirrels apparently like the Cayenne and kept stealing my food haha

heirloomtomaguy · May 5, 2014

If your fence around your tomatoes is not to big you could always electrify the top edge of it. You can buy a electric fence unit with 500ft of wire for about 60 bucks. Then the cats or any other critters wont steal your plants. Thats what i am going to do for my chickens protection

Sun City Linda · May 5, 2014

My kitty eats roses that I cut and bring inside. He seems to be intoxicated by the fragrance!

b54red · May 6, 2014

Get a dog.

Bill

peppero · May 6, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

Get a dog.

Bill

The dog will only plop down on them, or maybe just dig them up.

jon

Cole_Robbie · May 6, 2014

"Cat grass" is usually just wheat. Indoor cats will always tear into it. Maybe if you had some in your garden, the cat would eat that instead. It sprouts and grows very quickly. I also have catnip growing, but my cats have never been interested in it.

KarenO · May 6, 2014

in my area a homeowner can humanely trap it (can get traps from the SPCA) and bring it to the humane society or pound.
I think it would be a bad idea to plant other plants attractive to cats as instead of just one you might attract every cat in the vicinity to your yard.
If the cat belongs to a neighbor and you know who it is, first step might be a friendly chat and a warning that you plan to trap it. They will have to bail him out of cat jail and that might be enough to inspire them to control their own animal and keep it on their own property where it belongs.
Karen

Vicmeister · May 8, 2014

We have tons of wild cats around here, it's like all the strays in town come to my street. I'd love for them to have homes but unfortunately no one will come get them.
I got one of those scarecrow motion sensor sprinklers....it works great. My little dog seems to enjoy setting it off when I'm near so I get soaked!

May 5, 2014	#1
Vicmeister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Desert of WA State, USDA Zone 6B Posts: 29	Cats are eating my plants! Tomato plants have been disappearing from my garden, and I have identified the nasty culprit.....it's the cats! There is an orange tom cat that jumps my fence and has been helping himself to the plant tops. I don't see that he's using it as a litter box, just as his personal snacking table. I'm going to try some netting I think and see if that helps....or maybe a motion sprinkler. Not sure yet!

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May 5, 2014	#2
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	Cayenne pepper powder sprinkled on and around the plants. Carol

May 5, 2014	#4
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	If your fence around your tomatoes is not to big you could always electrify the top edge of it. You can buy a electric fence unit with 500ft of wire for about 60 bucks. Then the cats or any other critters wont steal your plants. Thats what i am going to do for my chickens protection

May 5, 2014	#5
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	My kitty eats roses that I cut and bring inside. He seems to be intoxicated by the fragrance!

May 6, 2014	#6
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Get a dog. Bill

May 6, 2014	#8
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	"Cat grass" is usually just wheat. Indoor cats will always tear into it. Maybe if you had some in your garden, the cat would eat that instead. It sprouts and grows very quickly. I also have catnip growing, but my cats have never been interested in it.

May 6, 2014	#9
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,932	in my area a homeowner can humanely trap it (can get traps from the SPCA) and bring it to the humane society or pound. I think it would be a bad idea to plant other plants attractive to cats as instead of just one you might attract every cat in the vicinity to your yard. If the cat belongs to a neighbor and you know who it is, first step might be a friendly chat and a warning that you plan to trap it. They will have to bail him out of cat jail and that might be enough to inspire them to control their own animal and keep it on their own property where it belongs. Karen

May 8, 2014	#10
Vicmeister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Desert of WA State, USDA Zone 6B Posts: 29	We have tons of wild cats around here, it's like all the strays in town come to my street. I'd love for them to have homes but unfortunately no one will come get them. I got one of those scarecrow motion sensor sprinklers....it works great. My little dog seems to enjoy setting it off when I'm near so I get soaked!